TIGA stages real-time game dev exercise to promote innovation

By November 13, 2013 Press Releases

Game Jam events help start-ups, students and studios to innovate under pressure 

 

TIGA, the trade association representing the video game industry said today that Game Jam events can encourage creativity under pressure and replicate the business conditions today’s development studios must deal with.

The transformation in the contemporary game development industry can be summed up with the principle ‘Build, Measure, Learn’, as found in Eric Reis’ book, The Lean Startup. This approach focuses on making something, releasing it, and learning from the market reaction rapidly so you can innovate at speed – thus significantly shortening development cycles by experimenting with iterative products.

In today’s video game market, how quickly you measure feedback, implement changes and create an enhanced product are critical. This is especially important, as the digital release business model is what the vast majority of UK start-ups are working with, and TIGA’s own research shows that more than 50 per cent of UK games business started up less than four years ago.
 
As well as encouraging and facilitating the creation of new IP, and offering a taste of development at the sharp end, Game Jams are a powerful networking tool that broadens and improves the connections between the grass roots of the UK’s games industry and it’s established world-class developers.
 
TIGA has offered its upcoming charity TIGA GameHack event as an example of how the industry can challenge the best and brightest of the UK games development sector to come together for a truly unique creative experience, with participants being challenged to develop a game from scratch in just 24 hours, with simultaneous events being held at Abertay University in Dundee and Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire on the 16th and 17th November.
 
The event will provide UK developers with rewards including a £5,000 cash prize (£2,000 with a further £3,000 to publish a game on GameStick – the world’s most portable TV games console) and half a day motion capture studio time with Centroid 3D. This is in addition to a BlackBerry Q10 or Z10 device for each winning team member for the BlackBerry ‘Endless Runner’ challenge and an iPad mini, donated by King, for each winning team member of the Hacktacular Award.
 
For ARM’s and Playjam’s categories, participants will be provided with Unity for Android and ARM tools including emulators. Attendees at both the Abertay and Pinewood events will receive help and support throughout from ARM’s & Playjam’s teams, on hand to advise and provide cutting edge tricks of the trade for maximising the graphical performance of portable gaming devices.
 
GameHack is still open for registration for TIGA members and non-members alike. For more information visit: www.gamehack.co.ukTo register for the event, please visit https://www.tiga.org/events/tiga-gamehack.Tickets are just £5, plus 95 pence to cover the cost of processing payments. All ticket revenue goes to SpecialEffect, a UK based charity, which uses video games and technology to enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities.
 
Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO, TIGA, said:
“The TIGA GameHack is designed to promote lean development principles, and help start-ups, students and studios to innovate under pressure while networking with other developers.
“We’ve been delighted with the take up of tickets for TIGA GameHack 2013. Tickets for Abertay University have sold out and just a handful of places remain for the Pinewood Studios event. This clearly demonstrates the demand is there from an industry hungry for new ways to experiment with original game ideas, collaborate with new teams and work in a new environment.”

 

-ends-

 

NOTES TO EDITORS
 
More details on each challenge can be found at: www.gamehack.co.uk

Prizes are available across these categories:

·       Best Game, sponsored by ARM and PlayJam

Prize: £2,000 with an additional £3,000 to publish the game on GameStick 

·       Best ‘Endless Runner’ Game, sponsored by BlackBerry

Prize: Q10 or Z10 devices for each winning team member

·       Most Awesome Game, sponsored by Centroid 3D

Prize: Half a day motion capture studio time with Centroid

·       Most Innovative Idea, sponsored by TIGA

Prize:Keynote speaking opportunity at a TIGA GameDev Night and top story coverage in TIGA’s member network newsletter ‘The Eye’ to raise the profile of your game and your team.

·       The Hacktacular Award sponsored by King

Prize: iPad mini for each winning team member at the Pinewood & Abertay events

·       The Community Spirit Award

Prize: TBC

 

About TIGA
TIGA is the trade association representing the video game industry. We help developers and digital publishers build successful studios, network with the right people, save money and access professional business advice.
 
We also have outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership. Since 2010, TIGA has won 16 business awards.
 
TIGA focuses on three sets of activities:
 
·       Political representation
·       Media representation
·       Business services
 
This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
 
It also means our members’ voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in national, broadcast and UK video game trade media.
 
Get in touch:
 
Tel: 0845 468 2330
Email: info@tiga.org  
Web: www.tiga.org 
Twitter: @TIGAMovement
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement 
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga 
 
For further information, you can also contact:
 
Dr. Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email: richard.wilson@tiga.org
Drew Field, TIGA Communications Director on: 07720 643 344, or email: drew.field@tiga.org

 

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